Five Axes From 3,500 Years Ago Discovered in Poland Could Have Been Used For Cultic Purposes

A metal detectorist was able to discover five Bronze Age axes buried under a forest's surface. Archaeologists posit that the items could have been used for chopping wood or for serving cultic purposes.

Five 3,500-year-old Axes Found

Metal detectorist Denis Konkol was looking into an area filled with wood in Kociewie, which is an area in northern Poland. As he was doing so, his metal detector started to beep. He then dug around 20 to 30 centimeters into the soil, which led him to unearth tools of metal.

Konkol had the necessary permits for searching through the area, which means that the extraction was done with the archaeological supervision of the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments. This means that possible site destruction was prevented. Konkol also reached out to the authorities when he discovered the items on the ground.

The five axes were analyzed by the archaeologists and were found to be roughly 3,500 years old. Igor Strzok, who is the Pomeranina provincial conservator of monuments, explains that such items are quite rare in these regions.

Piotr Klimaszewski, who heads the Department of Archaeological Monuments, explains that the items are Tautušiai type axes, which are a type of tool that has a slender neck and a blade that is semi-circular. These kinds of axes are connected to the Lithuanian village of Tautušiai.

While the axes could have been used for chopping wood or for fighting or cutting, it is also possible that the axes were incorporated into cultic practices or sacrificial rituals. However, it is more likely that they could have been a trade-related deposit. The items may also be related to the Baltic culture in areas of present-day Lithuania or northeastern Poland.

Other Artifacts Found

According to Strzok, similar findings have been discovered in the past. However, it has been nearly two decades since an axe-like tool or weapon has been found. The last similar discovery was roughly 20 years ago in the region of Lublin.

Strzok explains that in most cases, breastplates or bracelets were discovered in such kinds of deposits. Hence, this makes the artifacts found in the forest quite an archaeological sensation.

Aside from the axes, archaeologists also discovered a small brooch, or fibula, from 2,000 years old. This item was used for fastening clothing.

How the items ended up in the forest remains a mystery. This shows that further research is necessary to understand the history of these items. Nevertheless, the remarkable condition and preservation of the artifacts amazed the researchers.

The axes are to be sent to the Archaeological Museum in Gdańsk for further study.

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